


Cinderella

by Tsula



Category: Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Genre: Abuse, Drama, F/M, Romance, Violence, possible triggers, wicked stepmother
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-08 04:33:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5483594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsula/pseuds/Tsula
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was your Prince Charming and you were his damsel in distress.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prince Charming

**Author's Note:**

> Another story that I have in progress on the other sites. Decided to put it on here too. Probably going to work on putting all of my open chaptered fics on here.

Every girl has at some point dreamt of her prince. Of the day he would appear in their lives and sweep them away from whatever tragedy or pain life had thrown at them. Prince Charming was a man of many faces, many talents, and many admirers. Mainly because every girl seemed to have her own version of this prince. Someone that was perfect for them in every way—a soul mate essentially. 

Yours just happened to take the face of someone who actually existed, but with whom you’d never really been able to know. You’d met him a couple of times, mostly by accident, and it was likely from this that your idealized perfection of him stemmed. No man could be nearly as perfect as the one in your head. In real life he likely had several flaws. He very well could have been a terrible person when you got to know him. Yet in your dreams he was everything you’d ever wanted. 

He was the prince that would come to save you from your nightmare of an existence. When things were at their worst you fantasized about him taking you away and it helped you keep holding on. Though, at times the desire was so strong that it made things more painful. You wanted so badly for your dreams to come true and when they didn’t it made your heart ache with the weight of your despair.

***

The department was as busy as a beehive, so much so that you were concerned your visit might be intrusive. However, you knew better than to not show up. It would only cause more problems if he came looking for you because of a no-show. The fact that you had these bi-weekly visits was already a source of tension at home.

Sarah was certain that you were doing this just to spite her. It never seemed to occur to her that your deceased father had friends who actually gave a damn about you. Or if it did, she simply ignored it in favor of venting her frustrations on you. Either way, nothing about this situation was anything close to ideal. 

You tried to stay out of everyone’s way as you hurried across the room, dodging the busy officers as they went about their tasks. There were so many of them moving around though that you started to feel boxed in and it only added to your anxiety. A hefty dose of claustrophobia on top of your already frayed nerves made it hard to breathe. You backed out of the way as someone came through with an armful of boxes and your back hit something that made your entire body bristle. Especially when that something put a hand on your arm to guide you back further out of the way. 

Looking up and seeing that it was _him_ with that hand on you really did a number on your heart too. Every time you saw him it would cause a jolt, but having him touch you made it far worse. Your heart started sprinting like a race horse down the track.

He smiled at you. Though Detective Goren always seemed to have a smile for you, despite the fact that neither of you had actually interacted before. "You’re Captain Deakins’ goddaughter, right?"

The lump in your throat made it hard to speak so you settled for nodding. It was hard enough being this close to the star of your fantasies, let alone trying to talk to him.

"I've seen you around quite a bit." That he noticed you around was enough to put your already racing heart into overdrive. A million little worries sprung to life in the wake of the excitement though. 

What exactly had he noticed about you? What had he thought? Were you being too quiet? Did he expect you to to say something?

You started feeling awkward and it became hard to hold his gaze. Even the way you held your arms felt off under his scrutiny. Plus there was the question of just why he was taking the time to talk to you of all people. Your self-esteem wasn't exactly terrible, but it was still a shock to have a guy like him show interest.

“He likes for me to stop by.” Came your soft reply. Your voice came out lower than you’d intended, but at least it didn’t shake. “He worries a lot.” 

“Yeah,” the way he said that took you by surprise. There was something _knowing_ in that tone of his and you wondered if your secret was more exposed than you’d thought. You wouldn’t have put it past your godfather to task his officers with a little digging. “He has been pretty worried about you.” 

Your stomach began twisting at the direction the conversation was taking. He wasn’t being direct enough for you to be sure, but it really felt like he _knew_. You had a sudden urge to pull down your sleeves, even though the bruises were long since healed. There hadn’t been another incident, another _mark_ since these visits became more or less obligatory. 

“I should—” You paused briefly as the words lodged themselves in your throat. There was a moment were you felt this indescribable urge to just _tell him_. You’d dreamed of doing such a thing. Dreamt telling him what was happening and having him save you from it. 

You didn’t though. You knew better. “I shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

“Of course.” He replied with a smile, though his eyes seemed to pierce you with their intensity. “We’ll talk another time then.”

The way your heart leapt made it very hard to breathe. Once again you nodded silently in reply. 

He removed his hand from your arm slowly enough that it felt reluctant, but you tried not to dwell on it too much. Hopefulness only made things hurt more. 

You hurried into your godfather’s office resisting the urge to look back and confirm that Detective Goren was stilling watching. You felt his eyes though, even after you’d closed the door. 

Meanwhile, out in the bullpen, Detective Goren was leaning against his desk with his arms crossed and his eyes squarely on you. Not even for a second did you glance back, but your shoulders were tensed enough that he was sure you felt him watching. 

"With all the attention you were giving her, I thought she was going to spontaneously combust." Eames teased as she joined him in watching you and Deakins.

Goren smiled a little at the jab. "She's easily flustered. It's cute."

“Flustered is putting it mildly.” Eames replied. “She didn’t know what to do with herself. I can certainly see why Deakins wanted you on her case.”

He didn’t reply as she left. He just kept watching you. 

All the while you seemed determined never to look back. You kept your focus solely on your godfather as the two of you spoke. 

These visits had become a regular thing since your father passed away. Originally the two of you would drop by sparingly and then it had been just you after he got sick. You’d stop in to keep his dearest friend up to date and then you stopped coming altogether once he died. It wasn’t until your godfather started paying visits himself that this routine was established. He insisted on you dropping by, not shutting yourself off from the world in that big old house. 

Though he became particularly insistent on it being such a regular thing when he found a suspicious bruise that you hadn’t done the best job of lying about. He’d been furious at the idea of someone hurting you and adamant about wanting to save you from it. You’d listened to his promise about helping you if you were in trouble, but you still hadn’t told him what was happening at home. Not because you didn’t think he’d do everything in the world to protect you, but because Sarah would only make things worse for you. She was the reason you couldn’t go back to school after your father died. She was the reason you couldn’t get a job outside the house. Every time you tried to do something for yourself, something that might save you from your nightmare of a life, things went very wrong… You were suspended from school for drug use without even an investigation and every time you’d gotten an interview somewhere you’d show up only to be turned away without explanation. 

Sarah’s influence had a lot of reach. Even if you filed a complaint there wasn’t any actual evidence that _she_ was the one hurting you. What with the ‘drug’ incident she could easily paint a terrible picture of you being a dangerous addict that she’d been trying to save. Everyone always thought she was this wonderful, sweet woman and they always took her word on everything. They never saw the wicked step-mother, only the dedicated church going woman who took care of her late husband’s child and kept very active in her community. People thought she helped others because she had a big heart. In reality she worked very hard to earn a strong reputation and favors from people with a lot of pull. It put her in the perfect position to keep you under her thumb. 

She loved having power: she was addicted to it. Power and money were her favorite things in the world and as long as she had you in her clutches she had plenty of both. She’d made sure of that. 

Thankfully the subject had stopped coming up directly during your visits. That didn’t mean he wasn’t still trying to get the truth out of you, but he’d become more subtle about it. Sometimes you didn’t even realize what he was getting at until after the fact. 

He didn’t become the captain of major crimes for nothing after all. 

“What’s all this about?” You queried while glancing down at a fancy looking invitation that had been on his desk. “A policeman’s ball?”

The idea was strangely amusing. Mainly because you couldn’t quite picture your godfather all dressed up in a tux rubbing elbows with the high society types. 

He smiled wryly like he knew just where your mind had gone. “Yeah, it’s a charity event to raise money for the families of fallen officers. You should come; it would do you good to get out of the house more.”

Try as he might to hide the edge in his tone, you still picked up on it. It was hard going through the motions for both of you. Him unable to do anything and you unable to say anything. The most he could do was cause a fuss without you actually testifying against your stepmother. You knew what would happen if you did though. She was too well liked by all the right people. It would be your word against hers and she’d already made it clear just how little your word counted for against her own. By the time the trial rolled around you would have been the villain and she would have been the poor, long suffering mother. 

Even with a police captain on your side, she could bury you both in lies and slander.

So you put on that smile you used to hide your pain from him. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it, but I’ll try.”

You knew from his expression, the way his smile dropped just a little, that he didn’t buy it for a second.

“I should get back home.” Loathe as you were to leave and as he was to let you, it didn’t do you any good hanging around too long. “Got a few chores to knock out before dinner.”

“Right.” He tried to keep his smile, but it looked more like a pained grimace. “I hope to see you at the event. We haven’t spent a lot of time together since…”

You nodded when he trailed off, feeling that familiar clench in your chest and gut whenever the subject of your father came up. “I’ll try.” 

It was a hollow, empty shell of a promise; but it was the best you could do. 

He opened the door for you as you started to leave. “If you need anything, you know you can call me right?”

For a moment your eyes burned, but thankfully no tears surfaced. “Of course.” 

You headed off towards the elevators without looking back, fearing that you might not be so controlled if you did. You spared a glance at Detective Goren, confirming that he was indeed watching you. The idea that he’d been doing that the whole time made you feel very skittish and you dropped his gaze quickly. Your face felt heated as you hurried along and it was only when the elevator doors closed, blocking you from view, that you were able to breathe easily again. 

All those times you’d fantasied about catching his attention and when you did you acted like a shy little school girl. So much for making a good first impression.


	2. The Wicked Stepmother

When it came to household chores that you hated least ‘dishes’ would be on the bottom rung. There wasn’t any particular reason for the dislike, but you’d spent most of your life hating them and why break tradition? It was especially irksome if they’d had time to build up and to your displeasure your step-mother had decided to throw a little ‘party’ the night before. You had thankfully been excused from attending, but that didn’t mean clean up fell to anyone else. 

The one good thing about this chore however was that you had a very lovely view of the back half of the property. As you stood there dealing with the towering stack of plates and glasses you were able to enjoy an admittedly lovely view. During the warmer months it was so green out there that it looked like you were living in the rain forest. A lush jungle right outside your window; it was why your mother—your _real_ mother—had fallen in love with this place. 

Your father bought it for her and restored the old house while she was still pregnant with you. She used to take you berry picking as a child and he would take you fishing in the pond. You could see the water and the blackberry bushes from the window too. 

So many precious memories in the place that was your prison. It made it hard to truly enjoy or hate your home. Had Sarah not been a monster you would have been perfectly at peace and happy living there. Yet she took great pleasure in your misery and in tainting all the wonderful memories of the life your family had built. 

Hearing a knock at the door nearly made you jump out of your skin and you lost your grip on the plate you’d been cleaning. It clattered down into the sink rather than the floor and for that you were thankful. Though you doubted Sarah would have ever noticed one missing plate. She wasn’t there to have heard it break and you were too thorough to leave broken glass where she’d find it. 

Feeling a little miffed at having been startled, you all but ripped the dish rag off the counter to dry your hands as you hurried to the door. You got there just as whoever was on the other side started knocking again and you pulled it open to find something surprising to say the least. The jolt it sent through you was enough to make you jittery and anxious, not to mention a little sick. 

Seeing Detective Goren standing there on your porch knocked you for a loop. He was leaning against the marble column looking handsome and intimidating. His partner had been the one to knock. She smiled politely at you, though her eyes were sharp and almost fierce. 

“Detectives,” you said breathlessly. “What a surprise.” 

Suddenly you were even more grateful that Sarah wasn’t home. You couldn’t imagine trying to hide your feelings from the detectives while she was actually in the room. Especially not with the way they were looking at you. 

“Sorry to drop by unannounced like this.” Detective Eames stated as Goren pushed off the column and walked over. Every step he took made your nerves fray just a little bit more. “Would you mind if we came in? There are a few things we’d like to discuss with you.”

Your mouth went dry and your heart kicked into overdrive. There was no doubt in your mind Sarah would flip her lid if she found out cops had come into the house while she wasn’t there. On the other hand though, turning them down didn’t seem like much of an option. That they were there held a lot of meaning and you got the feeling just from the way they were looking at you that they wouldn’t be deterred very easily. 

“S-sure,” you stammered out nervously. “I’m just tidying up a little.”

Eames walked into the foyer while Goren fixed you with that smile again. The one that made you feel all anxious and nervous. Considering you were already feeling that way it was really all you could do not to let your knees buckle. You looked away and hurried in, hearing the door close soon after as a signal that he was following. 

You couldn’t seem to get your heart to slow down. 

He was in your house. Yet another fantasy you’d entertained that was turning out very differently in reality. Having his eyes on your back made you shiver as you followed after Eames. She paused near the base of the stairs, peering into the living room. Looking for Sarah perhaps, though you couldn’t be sure. 

As Goren came closer you suddenly found yourself feeling boxed in between the two of them. She was in the way of the stairs and the door. He was in the way of the hall. Neither of them were making an actual effort to block you, but it felt like being trapped. More so when it came to him. 

“Is you stepmother home?” He asked while peering towards the upper levels. 

“She’s having lunch with the mayor’s wife.” You realized too late how bitter your remark sounded, though you’d intended to be offhanded about it. Nothing seemed to come out right around him. 

“Good.” Eames stated as she pinned you with those keen eyes. “Then we can speak frankly about what’s going on here.” 

You shut your eyes and took a deep breath. It shouldn’t have shocked you when she said that, but it did. Part of you still held a little uncertainty, but for the most part you knew that she meant what Sarah did to you. Whatever they thought they knew was likely only speculation. You doubted very much that they’d actually found any evidence against her or your godfather would have already had her brought in. 

“Maybe we should sit down.” Goren supplied helpfully and you let him lead you into the living room and straight to the couch. 

It made every nerve in your body stand at attention when he sat down beside you. He was so close you could feel the heat coming off of his body. Eames took a seat across from you both and once again you felt boxed in. It was worse though with Goren so near. Especially when he reached out and took one of your hands. You looked down at the sight of your much smaller hand cradled in both of his. It was strange, but not unwelcome. In fact your stomach was doing flips just having him touch you. Though the contrast of just how much larger his hand was also made you anxious.

You’d had more than your fair share of dreams in which he touched you and that knowledge made your face burn. You couldn’t even lift your head to look at either him or his partner. 

“We can take it slow.” Goren said softly and it made you shiver just a little. He was so close, so gentle, and sounded like he truly cared about you. 

It was a fantasy come to life and yet you were utterly petrified. 

“I-I don’t—” you stammered out while still looking down at your interlocked hands. You wanted to look at him and see if the concern reached his eyes, but you couldn’t make yourself look up.

“We know that she’s hurting you.” Eames cut in and though her tone was very business like, it came out softer than before. “She stopped physically abusing you though when Captain Deakins found out.” You bit your lip so hard you started to lose feeling in it. Eames did not stop there though. “We are also aware that your father’s will vanished not long after his death and that it named you as his beneficiary.” 

You glanced up just a little at Goren and the moment your gazes locked you couldn’t look away. His hand on your hands tightened just a little and he smiled at you softly. “You don’t have to be afraid of her,” he said with such certainly that it threw you. “Let us protect you.” 

You started to speak, though you weren’t entirely sure what to say, but then you heard the door. It slammed shut with enough force to jar you and you stood up quickly with a gasp as your step-mother called out for you. 

She’d come home early and you weren’t sure what to do. You couldn’t exactly hide the detectives or ask them to sneak out. Though they were already apparently aware of your situation. You got the feeling they would much sooner face her head on than scurry away and leave you to her wrath. Especially since she sounded _very_ angry. 

She called out your name again sounding downright furious and you took a deep breath to steady yourself. “In here.”

Your voice came out smooth and steady. You’d had a lot of practice at getting your tone just the right shade of politeness and lack of inflection over the years. It wasn’t hard to speak around her, not anymore. Though it was very hard to make yourself slip into that tone under Goren’s scrutiny. 

She stormed into the room right as you said: “we have guests”. The sight of the two detectives and worse yet Goren’s closeness to you brought her up short. She wasn’t fast enough at masking her fury and shock for the detectives to miss it, though she pasted on that fake, sweet look none-the-less. 

“My, this is _quite_ a surprise.” She said conversationally. “I do hope my daughter has been a good hostess, she tends to forget her manners.”

You could hear the threat behind her tone, though you said nothing in response.

“She’s been perfect.” Goren replied and you couldn’t help the way your heart skipped.

“We’ve just been catching up and reminiscing about old times with her father.” Eames chimed in sounding very bit as non-chalant as if that had been the truth rather than a boldfaced lie. 

“How lovely.” Sarah replied and you could tell just how hard it was for her to keep her tone even. 

“Not to mention invite her to tomorrow night’s gala.” Eames continued with a smile that looked almost openly mocking. 

Sarah’s brow raised as she looked between the three of you. “Gala?”

No doubt she had at least _heard_ the police were throwing a fundraiser, but she wouldn’t want to assume anything or rub her connections into their faces just yet. She loved to play the unassuming, dainty little thing. It put people off their guard so she could go in for the kill. 

Though you were sure she was quite out of her league with these two. They knew she was a monster and they dealt with monsters for a living. 

“Yes, Captain Deakins really has his heart set on her attending.” Detective Goren said politely and with a smile that made your knees weak. 

“We wanted to make sure she was planning to attend.” Eames continued and you got the feeling they were enjoying making your step-mother edgy. “Though it has been taking a little convincing.”

Sarah’s eyes shot to you and you didn’t have to fake the blush that spread across your cheeks. Mostly because Goren was looking at you with that smile still on his lips. 

“I wasn’t aware you had been invited to a gala.” She said with a smile of her own, though it looked positively _painful_. 

“I was invited yesterday, though I really did not plan to attend.” You admitted honestly. 

“You should both come.” Goren stated and it took you by surprise. You looked at him curiously and found he was still smiling, though there was something almost _mischievous_ about the look he gave you. 

Sarah looked a little more relieved when you glanced at her and you realized suddenly that the idea of you going alone to a policeman’s ball had her on edge. Goren had invited her to give her a false sense of security. The man really was a genius. 

“That sounds lovely.” She replied with one of her fake little laughs. “The offer is greatly appreciated.”

“Wonderful,” Eames stated as both she and Goren stood up. This put you so close to him that you were almost right up against his chest. Your hands shook a little and you had to concentrate to steady them as you looked up at him. 

“We’ll pick you up tomorrow night.” He said as he held your gaze and smiled as your eyes widened in surprise.

“Do not trouble yourselves,” Sarah insisted and you realized there was a sudden edge to her tone. She was having trouble keeping her voice level at the idea of the detectives having you with them. “She and I can ride together.”

“Oh, but we _insist_.” Eames was smirking just a little when you glanced over at her. It almost could have passed for a smile. “We’re intending to surprise Captain Deakins and we want to make sure everything is just right.”

Another lie delivered perfectly. The woman must have been one hell of a poker player. 

“Of course,” Sarah consented, as though she had any choice at all in the matter. She couldn’t say anything against it without giving herself away. “Shall I show you out, detectives?”

She turned to lead them out and Eames followed, though Goren lagged behind just a little. He turned you towards him and slipped something into your hand, leaning down towards your cheek. For a moment you thought he was going to kiss you, but he merely spoke softly in your ear. 

“If you are ever afraid,” he said with a sort of tenderness that left you breathless. “Call.” 

With that he pulled back and walked out of the room. It was only when he was out of sight that you could breathe again. You looked down at the card in your hand to find it had nothing but a phone number written on it and the notion that it was _his_ number thrilled you to no end. 

You listened to the three of them at the door and quickly slipped the card down into your bra just to be sure Sarah wouldn’t find it. It wouldn’t have been the first time she’d searched you, but she wouldn’t be very likely to look _there_. 

When the door closed you finally had your breathing back to normal and your mask was back in place. The timing of this was positively perfect as Sarah hurried back into the room looking furious. 

She wasted no time in stomping towards you and you did not resist as she reached out and gripped the back of your neck tightly. Your head was forced down at a painful angle as she leaned in to hiss in your ear.

“I would hope that you were on your _best_ behavior.” Her voice was soft like silk, but you could feel the venom hidden behind her words. 

Even when the two of you were alone she was careful never to say anything incriminating. Probably in case you ever worked up the nerve to tell someone and came home wearing a wire. Paranoia was just part of the game for her and it was part of the reason why you had never tried. She wasn’t stupid enough to actually say anything that could be used against her. Her threats were always veiled and she’d stopped the physical abuse the moment your godfather had become aware of it. 

Sarah was always two steps ahead. 

This time though, the detectives had taken her by surprise. It gave you some hope that maybe, _just maybe_ your prince really would be able to save you.


	3. A Moment of Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why must revision be such an uphill battle for me? c.c

Despite the clear threat of police interference were Sarah to bar you from the event, she still hung a lot of stipulations on you attending. She wanted the house spotless—all of it, not just the parts her guests could see. She wanted you on your best behavior at all times, not just around others. In addition to that she wanted you to come up with a suitable dress, but she certainly wasn’t about to buy you one. 

_“Why waste money on something you’ll only wear once?”_ She’d chortled cruelly. 

The unfairness of it all would have drowned you if you’d let it. Yet the fact that you were going to be able to go at all was enough to sustain your morale even elbow deep into the murky water of your overtaxed mop bucket. Clean or dirty, well behaved or otherwise, dress or no dress: Goren and Eames would make sure you attended no matter what Sarah tried. No doubt it was her knowledge of this causing her to punish you. She hated having anything out of her control and those detectives were undermining her authority. So she vented by taking out her frustrations on you, though she dared not lay a hand to you under such scrutiny. 

Why should she need to though? She could just as easily torment you with threats while making you work yourself to the bone. 

When she said she wanted spotless she meant it and even you knew you’d pay at some point for any grime she found. That pretty much meant your usual tools were useless. A mop and broom weren’t enough for that kind of job. It took good old fashion elbow grease and crawling around on all fours with a hard bristled scrub brush. 

It was a tiring, thankless job; but there wasn’t much you could do about it. Sarah had more than enough money to actually hire a maid, but she much preferred to make you do the dirty work instead. She’d rather spend your money on other things—things that didn’t benefit you. 

Exactly how she was able to hold onto your money was something you could only speculate at. You were over eighteen and you knew your father would never cut you out of his will. The best you had gotten from his lawyer was an _'I’ll look into it'_. Then you never heard from the man again. You left messages that he never returned and when you made appointments his secretary would always call to cancel at the last minute. Even when you’d come to his office to confront him, he wouldn’t see you. He slipped out before you could bully your way into his office. Then he finally just up and moved and no one would give you any information on where he went. 

This is where the speculation came in, though you were probably dead on about it. Your theory was that Sarah had gotten to him either through the influence of her powerful friends or via some other means. Frankly you wouldn’t have put it past her to seduce him. She was physically attractive, being a former beauty queen, and not above using her looks for personal gain. 

There were certainly plenty of men who called the house looking for her. She hadn’t even waited a month after your father died before she got herself a new sugar daddy. Hell, she’d probably been seeing someone when she was with him. While he was dying. 

The anger you felt thinking about her helped push back your fatigue. Cleaning wasn’t the outlet you would have preferred for it, but at least you were able to vent a little. You scrubbed harder than necessary and more vigorously than ever. 

Your whole body was radiating heat like something about your fury had trapped it under your skin. Yet you didn’t let yourself pause even as your face burned and your arms started to shake. 

_Work through the pain._

Sarah’s words in your head stoked the fires of your anger. You remembered her telling you that after your father died. When the pain of losing him had crushed you into something unrecognizable. She’d smiled at you with that wicked leer and told you to work through it. That was the first time you’d seen her for what she truly was. More than a gold digger… worse. She was a monster. 

The doorbell rang out and you hesitated to rise. You were three floors up working in the attic and Sarah was downstairs maybe twenty feet from it. However, when it buzzed again you got up scowling. Of course she couldn’t be expected to get the door. What in the world had you been thinking?

She might chip a nail for god’s sake. 

You hurried down the stairs with less concern for your safety than usual in your towering rage. Your hands were still slick from the water and soap, making it hard to use the rails for support. 

You were practically flying down the stairs, but it was still after the fifth ring that you caught the door—winded, flushed, and trying to morph that scowl into something more neutral. 

Not that it was really needed, as it was Eames on the other side of the door. She already seemed quite privy to the fact that you were miserable. 

You were very glad that she’d come alone this time though. As bad as you felt, no doubt you looked much worse and you would have absolutely died if Detective Goren saw you as such. 

She looked you over with a heavy dose of scrutiny though and you stepped aside quickly to usher her in. 

“I was starting to wonder if you were just going to ignore our guest.” Sarah chided as you led Eames into the sitting room. 

It was the first time in awhile you had to actually bite your tongue to hold back a remark. Perhaps it was because you were in front of company that already knew about the monster hiding behind that lovely face. “I was in the attic.” 

“Ah,” she replied simply, though her eyes were sharp and dangerous. “Detective, would you like to join me for tea?” She turned your way and you knew she was about to ask you to make a pot of tea for them. However, she never got the chance. 

“No.” Eames replied just as simply, though her tone was enough to make Sarah look taken aback. Not that the detective seemed to care. She turned to you looking all business. “I thought we’d have a girl’s day out.” 

Sarah looked more stunned than ever and you were thrown for a loop. It was kind of amusing seeing your wicked stepmother out of her element. There wasn’t really much she could say against it with a cop in the room. She had to be very careful not to show any hint of her true colors. Though, you knew that if you didn’t say something in her stead that it was going to get fairly nasty later on. 

“I really shouldn’t.” You replied breathlessly. “Lots of work to get done and I still haven’t gotten around to fixing up my dress.” 

“With all the money your father left you, it seems like you could easily afford a new one.” Eames replied shrewdly and you didn’t know what to say. 

Sarah was looking downright furious behind the detective’s back, but she was just as stuck as you were. 

“Come on,” Eames took your upper arm and started leading you towards the stairs. “You should clean up before we go out.” 

“R-right.” There was no arguing with her and you let her lead you away, glancing back one more time to see Sarah’s stormy expression and her cruel eyes following. 

*** 

You sat on the bed as Eames went through your clothes feeling all kinds of confused. She hadn’t really just shown up to take you out on the town, had she? “Detective Eames?” 

“Alex.” She corrected right off the bat. 

“Alex,” you started feeling strange. “You really don’t have to do this.” 

She paused briefly to look over her shoulder at you and then glanced at the door raising a brow. You glanced over as well and looked back at her, nodding when you understood what she was getting at. 

There was a very good chance whatever the two of you said would be overheard. You certainly wouldn’t put it passed Sarah to be out there eavesdropping.

“Ah, here we go.” Alex pulled out a pretty blue sun dress that had once belonged to your mother. You’d managed to keep your mother’s things by moving them quickly to your room after your father remarried, though many of the items you’d had to hide. 

Sarah had no issue with snooping through your room. 

The simpler clothes though were not a problem. Sarah did not care for ‘simple’ clothes. Though your mothers jewelry or her wedding dress would have been stolen in a heartbeat. 

“Go ahead and get cleaned up,” Alex said with a smile as she handed you the dress. “I’ll keep Sarah company.” 

You had trouble fighting a smile of your own at the idea of Alex and Sarah in a room alone together. Two people that obviously hated one another, but couldn’t just up and say it. A nice mental image, to be sure, and one you held onto as you went about cleaning up and getting dressed. 

It felt a little odd to you wearing a dress, especially one without long sleeves. You got the feeling that this was intentional to see if you had any bruises. 

*** 

When Alex said she was taking you for a girl's day out, you didn't think she meant it in such a traditional sense. You'd been expecting coffee and a firm discussion about your situation. Instead she started off taking you to a spa and said not a word about the present. She asked plenty about the past though. 

What was your mother like? Where did you grow up? Did your father ever tell you about that time he sent Captain Deakins a stripper for his birthday? 

It was really... fun. 

Frankly, you'd almost forgotten what that felt like. Sarah had isolated you from friends and what little family you had left. You hadn't had the chance to really enjoy yourself for a long time. 

Maybe that was why she was doing it—she'd figured that out. Rather than drilling you for information she was giving you an outlet and taking your mind off of all the horrible things in your life. It made you like her even more. 

After the spa, she declared that lunch was in order and off the two of you went. It wasn't a long drive, less than ten minutes, but it was through an area you weren't entirely familiar with. This gave you something interesting to look at when conversation lapsed, though it only did so briefly. 

"I've been meaning to ask," Alex started and you looked away from the shops on your side as the car idled at a stop light. "Do you have a dress already? If not, I know of a few places when could stop and look for one. I highly doubt your stepmother has been kind enough to offer." 

A wry grin tilted your lips briefly before you remembered yourself. "My mother had a few lovely dresses and Sarah has yet to… discover their whereabouts." 

It was a little more informative of a statement than you probably should have chanced, but the smirk it earned you was worth it. "I look forward to her surprise." 

The light changed and off you went. Down two more streets you didn't know and finally to a stop in a half full parking lot that belonged to a restaurant. A diner in fact. It had the quaint, old style face of the sort of establishment you might have seen back in the forties. An odd contrast to the surrounding shops, but it was charming. It stood out.

That Alex had thought to bring you there made you feel even more indebted to her. She didn't have to be so kind to you, but you were very grateful that she was. Someday you would find a way to repay her for it.

She led you into the diner and to a booth near the back wall. It took you aback to see someone familiar waiting there. Well, more like it froze you in place. Detective Goren looked up from his drink and seeing him immediately set the butterflies in your stomach on a frenzy. 

The way he smiled made your heart race. “You look lovely.” 

That comment though nearly made your heart explode. Heat crept from your chest down into your limbs just as quickly as it flared up in your cheeks. There was no doubt in your mind that you were blushing and sadly it was right in front of the man you secretly adored. He almost certainly noticed, but he said nothing. Neither did Alex for that matter thankfully. She waited by the booth signaling for you to get in before her. Despite the wariness you felt about sitting adjacent from Goren, you consented to her silent request. 

Once more you were caged in, but you were marginally more comfortable with it this time. Mostly just with Alex. Goren still set you on edge because of your own feelings for him and the way he looked at you. 

You couldn't help fidgeting under his stare. 

When a sudden ringing sounded out close by you nearly jumped out of your skin. Alex checked her phone and then looked between you and her partner. "I'll be back in a minute; you two go ahead and order." 

Before you could protest Alex was across the room and out the door. Leaving you all alone with the man of your dreams. A fact that was downright terrifying. Sitting there with him felt like a date and that was both a pleasing and nerve wrecking thought. You'd dreamed about dating him, but like with everything else you weren't as open and alluring as you'd pictured yourself in those dreams. He was perfect though. From his smile, to the way he smelled, and the warmth of his hands as he reached forward to touch you. 

Everything about him was straight out of your fantasies. While everything about you seemed right out of a nightmare. You couldn't hold his gaze like you wanted. You couldn't stop yourself from trembling as he held your hand. Nor could you stop the heat from rising in your face as you kept your eyes leveled out the window. You could see his reflection and he was smiling as he watched you act like a shy little girl. 

“You know we looked into your history quite a bit.” He stated conversationally and you kept on staring out the window. “Those drug allegations from your school—there wasn’t even an investigation.” From the glass you could see the smile on his face slip a little. “The job you’d tried to get in the precinct—where you’d be safe, where you’d _feel_ safe—that was shot down before it even got started. Before it could ever come to Captain Deakin’s attention.” 

Your mouth was too dry even to swallow the lump in your throat. 

“She really keeps a tight leash on you, doesn’t she?” You shut your eyes and tried to focus on breathing. Here he was with all this knowledge about the things going on in your life and you were so afraid to tell him just how true it was. You’d dreamed of something like this happening, but now that it was you were petrified. “And you don’t say anything because you think no one will believe you.” He kept pressing and you opened your eyes again staring up towards the darkening sky. A storm was rolling in. “Or that even if they do, she’d be untouchable.” 

Finally you looked back at him. He tilted his head as he caught your eye. “If you’re too afraid to fight back, then she’ll have all the power.” 

You had to force a smile and it was painful. “She already does.” 

You squeezed his hand for a moment, hating what you were about to do. More than anything you just wanted to stay right there with him, even if it meant dealing with his questions and his persistence. But you knew yourself too well to think that you could stay quiet with him and you weren't about to put him or his career in danger over you. Sarah would destroy him without breaking a sweat. 

"It was nice to see you again, Detective." You stated softly as you rose from the booth. For a moment, as you looked down at your intertwined hands, it felt like he wouldn't let you go. In fact, for a second there his grip grew stronger as if that was exactly what he was thinking. 

Yet he finally relented and let his grip slack. He didn't entirely release your hand, but he gave you the option of pulling yours away. 

Doing so broke your heart too. Almost as much as walking away from him. 

"Anytime." He replied softly and you tried to make yourself believe that his frown wasn't your fault. 

You had to hold on to that notion or you might just break and do something foolish. You might turn around and tell him everything. The temptation was torture and the loss of warmth made your hand feel frozen. Yet you knew that without evidence Sarah would bury you both. You couldn't do that that to him. Not him. 

Your eyes were stinging as you looked up and caught sight of someone by the door. 

Alex was back, but you were walking right passed her. "Thank you for the day out, Alex, it really meant a lot to me. I'll take a cab home so you both can get back to work." 

She looked like she was about to say something, but you just kept on walking. So she turned to her partner with a sigh and closed the distance between them. “I hope you got something out of that.” 

Goren was still watching where you’d vanished. “She said her stepmother already has all the power.” He looked up at his partner leaning against the booth. “Might be worth seeing just how that happened.”


End file.
